
What Are County Criminal Background Checks?
A County Criminal Record Search provides information on misdemeanor and felony offenses. It serves as the foundation of any comprehensive background check. These searches are available in over 3,000 counties across the U.S. and offer the most reliable and thorough way to uncover an applicant’s criminal past.
Employers Choice Screening offers employers a full range of services related to county record searches. Our experienced team uses proven quality assurance procedures to deliver highly accurate results. Companies in multiple sectors rely on us to gather important information about employees and job applicants.
With our support, businesses can reduce risk and protect their brand. We help employers make more informed hiring decisions, which provides peace of mind to their customers and partners. When you choose ECS for a county criminal background search, you gain access to detailed, dependable insights.
Read on to learn more about what we offer in this essential area of background screening.
What Shows Up on a County Criminal Background Check?
Results will typically include file, offense and disposition dates, case number, charges, the severity of each charge, disposition and sentencing details, including probation violations and pending court cases when available. However, it will not include information about any charges that were eventually dismissed, expunged records, petty offenses, or non-criminal cases such as civil lawsuits or traffic infractions.
Having this level of information is crucial for employers because it lets them know exactly what kind of offenses their employee or applicant has been accused of or convicted of committing. Based on this level of detail, employers can make better-informed decisions about whether these individuals can be trusted to work with the public, use company assets, or be given access to sensitive or valuable information. Armed with this knowledge, companies can limit their risks and the potential for liability in the future. For many employers, a county criminal history search is one of the first steps when vetting a new hire.
How Far Back Does a County Background Check Go?
The standard scope for a County Criminal Record Search is 7 years, with extended searches available in some jurisdictions. These searches depend on the limited availability of archived records, state laws, and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulations in a given jurisdiction. This is important to bear in mind because it means employers only have a relatively small window of time during which they can conduct searches. Any criminal offenses that occurred outside of this time frame will not appear in the results of these checks.
ECS offers County Criminal Record Searches that include the most current, complete criminal record information pulled directly from each local jurisdiction searched.
How Is a County Background Check Different Than State or Federal?
Most national and state criminal databases are updated periodically. As a result, they may miss critical record information. Including a County Criminal Record Search gives you access to the most up-to-date criminal records. It also helps confirm the accuracy of criminal record hits reported by statewide and national databases.
Our widespread network of court researchers works hard to ensure timely and accurate record information. Results are based on the specific jurisdiction being searched. To properly identify and verify county criminal records, our FCRA-certified research team audits each search. This is done in strict accordance with FCRA regulations before including results in the final screening report.
Through this Quality Assurance review, ECS delivers the most accurate, comprehensive, and reliable information available to our clients.
When you choose to work with us, you can trust that we will provide all available information to support your decision-making process. We help companies across a wide range of industries reduce risk and protect their reputation. Our services also bring peace of mind to both customers and business partners.
If you'd like to learn more about our complete range of capabilities, and how we can support your hiring process, reach out and speak with one of our representatives today.